UN Habitat – RSCN sign agreement to launch national award for green innovation in Jordan / UN Habitat, UNDP announce project to advance development in Jordan – Jordan Times
Apr 19,2025
Photo courtesy of UN-Habitat
AMMAN — UN-Habitat and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) have signed a cooperation agreement to pilot the National Award for Green Innovation, themed “Flood Resilient Nature-Based Solutions” in Amman.
This milestone initiative is part of the “Smart Urban Water Management: Enhancing the Adaptive Capacity and Urban Resilience of Amman through Urban Green Infrastructure” project, funded by the Dutch embassy and implemented by UN-Habitat in partnership with the Greater Amman Municipality.
The award is designed to spotlight and scale innovative green ideas from youth that directly address the increasing risk of flash floods in the capital — risks exacerbated by climate change and rapid urbanisation.
It aims to promote public in community-based-green development, fostering a cultural shift towards environmental awareness and proactive engagement in sustainable practices among communities in Jordan.
While the national award will be formally established by the RSCN, the partnership with UN-Habitat will focus on supporting nature-based, innovative solutions from university students in Amman that enhance urban flood resilience and contribute to sustainable water management in Amman.
“This award promotes a community-driven approach that actively engages youth in the development and design of sustainable water solutions,” said Head of UN-Habitat Jordan Programme Deema Abu Thiab.
“We are proud to partner with RSCN and the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to empower local innovation and strengthen climate resilience through nature-based solutions,” Abu Thiab added.
Through this cooperation, UN-Habitat and RSCN will jointly manage the design, outreach, and implementation of the award in Amman under the thematic area of “Flood Resilient Nature-Based Solutions”, recognising exemplary environmental initiatives and disseminating awareness campaigns that will endeavour to inspire widespread participation in sustainable practices.
Three winning ideas will be selected and further implemented by UN-Habitat.
General Director of the RSCN Fadi Al Nasser expressed his happiness with signing the agreement with UN-Habitat, stressing that it represents a “qualitative” partnership that contributes to supporting environmental solutions and spreading environmental awareness, primarily nature-based solutions in line with the Society’s work strategy.
He also noted that the National Award for Green Innovation will play an important role in raising the level of environmental awareness among various groups in Jordan.
He said: “Our partnership with UN-Habitat will expand our work in introducing nature and its values in sustaining ecosystems and conserving ecological balance, and it will also add new experiences to us implemented by the United Nations Programme within the scope of nature-based solutions, especially the flooding problems that occur in cities and Amman primarily within the scope of this project.”
The “Smart Urban Water Management” project aims to enhance an enabling environment to address water challenges through developing and implementing smart water urban management systems in Amman city, with a focus on strengthening adaptive capacities and promoting sustainable water measures.
Applications for the National Award for Green Innovation will be open to selected university disciplines and years in the coming months, with details to be announced on the official channels of UN-Habitat and the RSCN.
UN-Habitat, UNDP announce project to advance development in Jordan – Jordan Times
Apr 17,2025
UN-Habitat and UNDP launch the joint project “Pathways to Inclusive Development: Bridging Data, Participation, and Human Rights for the Localisation of the SDGs” to accelerate the localisation of SDGs in Jordan (Photo courtesy of UN-Habitat)
AMMAN — UN-Habitat and UNDP, in collaboration with OHCHR, the Cities and Villages Development Bank (CVDB), and other national partners, have launched the joint project “Pathways to Inclusive Development: Bridging Data, Participation, and Human Rights for the Localisation of the SDGs.”
The project is designed to accelerate the localisation of SDGs in Jordan through data, participation and rights, according to a UN-Habitat statement.
The project, part of the Joint SDG Fund, addresses two “key” challenges facing Jordan: weak disaggregated data and disconnected decision-making. It aims to strengthen participatory data systems and foster coordination between local and national actors for inclusive development.
“This initiative reflects the UN’s commitment to partnering with Jordan in placing people at the centre of development. Quality data is the lifeblood of informed decision-making,” said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Jordan Sheri Ritsema-Anderson.
“By strengthening participatory data systems and connecting local voices with national planning, we help unlock the full potential of inclusive and sustainable development,” Ritsema-Anderson added.
“By integrating digital tools with human rights-based planning, we are enabling communities to participate and lead in Jordan’s sustainable development path,” said Head of the UN-Habitat Jordan Country Programme Deema Abu Thiab.
For her part, Resident Representative of UNDP Jordan Randa Aboul-Hosn welcomed the launch of the project, emphasising that this joint initiative reflects a shared commitment to accelerating progress towards SDGs in Jordan and supporting national development priorities with “greater efficiency and impact.”
The project supports Irbid’s urban observatory and national data platforms such as Tanmiah and the Jordan Development Portal to mainstream SDG indicators and enhance policy coherence, according to the statement.
“Our role as co-chair reflects the importance of local finance in transforming development frameworks into real impact,” said CVDB Acting General Manager Mohammad Harahsheh.
Moving forwards, the project is planned to implement pilot activities, capacity-building sessions, and participatory workshops to ensure that all stakeholders engage actively in SDG localisation.
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